Florida Republican Lawmakers Push To Expand State's Death Penalty

New state bills aim to expand options for death row inmates' executions to include firing squads and nitrogen gas and allow judges to sentence more convicts to death.

Inmates are allowed to choose between lethal injection or electrocution under the current law , but Florida Rep. Berny Jacques wants to change that.

The Haitian-American Republican based in Seminole sponsored Florida House Bill 903 , which was recently added to the criminal justice subcommittee agenda.

Earlier this month, Jacques also introduced companion HB 1283 to punish human trafficking convicts with the death penalty when the victims are children or mentally incapacitated.

"It's about retribution for our most vulnerable," Jacques said about the bill during a recent public meeting.